Mobile home park near completion

Rain and snow were the main culprits for delays at Country Hills mobile home park, which sits at the intersection of Smiley Road and U.S. 24-40 Highway.

"We assumed, if everything would have been pretty much standard, we should have been open by June," Sturgeon said. "Obviously, nothing's ever ideal, and the weather's been far from ideal."

Now, the park is nearly complete, with new mobile homes slated to move onto the 20-acre site this week.

"I just have a few things to complete," Sturgeon said.

He is optimistic about renting space in the 91-lot park.

"I think it will fill up reasonably quickly," he said. "We've lost a lot of prospective tenants because we didn't get open in time. It seems there are a lot more in the wings."

Tenants new to the lot can choose where they want to live.

"It depends on the type of home they have," Sturgeon said. "There are several pretty nice spots. Around the outside edge, obviously, is nicer than the inside. Some of the lots are pretty large."

The park had been a point of contention for residents in the area. Petitions had circulated against the park, but city council members and members of the planning commission said they had no choice but to approve Sturgeon's plans. The property, they said, had been zoned for a mobile home park for about 20 years.